


Darkest Before Dawn

by CrystalNavy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Comfort/Angst, Crew as Family, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 15:20:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16663297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: They fought a war, and they emerged victorious. However, everything is not fine. They lost a father and a brother, and almost lost another brother as well. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.How to heal someone who refuses to be healed?





	Darkest Before Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is nothing more selfless that taking the blow for someone you care about.

They were in such a pitiful state.

This was one of the first things Marco noticed after they returned to the ship in One Piece. 

He looked at Blamenco, who was carrying a fatally wounded Squard in his arms, and then at Jozu, who was carrying Ace on his back.

Blamenco was about to take Squard to the infirmary, but Squard raised a hand to stop him.

"I am not going to last much longer, so I need all of you to hear what I have to say."

They all nodded, and gathered around Squardo - although Ace had to be supported by Jozu - in order to hear what he had to say.

Squard turned his head to the side, chuckling

"I guess we have had pretty shitty life, didn't we?" he spoke "You and I hated the same man all our lives, and we both came to trust Pops without reservations. It's ironic, how I, who held nothing but disdain for Roger and his progeny, died taking the blow meant for you."

"Squard......" Ace began, voice laden with emotions

But Squard raised his hand once more, interrupting whatever he was about to say.

"But you know what? It's not your fault. None of this is. It's your father's." Squardo continued "He left you with no way out. His actions made it easy for Akainu to manipulate me, to turn me against you and Pops. Taking a blow for you was the best thing I could have done."

Squardo grabbed Ace's hands with his own, looking him straight in the eyes.

"So don't you dare waste my sacrifice. Don't you dare think you don't deserve to live." Squardo raised his voice slightly "Live on in the ultimate defiance of your father, whose very name condemned you to death. And the rest of you, make sure he doesn't die."

Everyone who was gathered around him nodded somberly.

With that, Squardo closed his eyes forever, with a smile on his face

-x-

The Whitebeard Pirates watched the child - for he was a child, no matter how powerful he was - knelt beside the graves of their father and brother, both of whom sacrificed themselves so that he could live.

"It's time to go." Haruta laid a hand on Ace's shoulder gently.

The younger man nodded and stood up. 

They kept the pace until they reached their new ship. Haruta kept an eye on Ace the entire time.

Until Ace chose to retreat to his cabin, that was.

The others exchanged concerned looks.

"Do you think he'll be all right?" Haruta looked at Marco worriedly

"He will be." Marco's mouth was a grim line "We'll make sure of that. That's what Squard and Pops would have wanted."

"That's what they would have wanted, eh?" a third voice, as sharp as steel, grunted "What about what Ace-kun does want?"

They raised their heads to look at the speaker. Standing next to the mast, looking down at them, was Little Oars Jr., with his most treasured possession - a huge kasa from the Land of Wano - sitting atop his head

"Did we really go to war for Ace-kun's sake?" Little Oars Jr questioned further "Or was it because you wanted to feel prideful and pat yourselves on the back for the job well-done. Were you taking advantage of this whole situation to make yourselves look good?"

"Of course we care about him!" Marco shouted

"Really?" Little Oars Jr. challenged "Because at first, you went to the war on Pops' orders, and now you are trying to keep Ace-kun alive because Squard asked you to. I am beginning to think I am the only one still alive who genuinely cares about Ace-kun's well-being, rather than there being some ulterior motive behind my actions."

Little Oars Jr. took his kasa off of his head and walked towards the infirmary.

"I am going to check on him now." he announced dryly "You might want to re-evaluate your true motivations."

-x-

Little Oars Jr. placed his kasa onto the head of the person who had given it to him in the first place, before sitting down cross-legged and keeping vigil over him.

"Don't live for anyone else but yourself, Ace-kun." he gave his own piece of advice "Not for Squardo, not for me, and not other Whitebeard Pirates. Don't live for anyone else other than yourself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May your tears flow freely. :(

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired. :)


End file.
